Citation Crashes Off Florida Following Fighter Intercept

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Key Takeaways:

  • A Cessna Citation V, with only its pilot aboard, crashed 300 miles off the coast of Florida after the pilot became unresponsive to ATC communications.
  • Florida Air National Guard F-15s were scrambled to intercept the aircraft and reported observing its rapid descent before it crashed into the Atlantic Ocean around 6 p.m.
  • The Citation V had departed St. Louis Regional Airport and was inbound to Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport when the incident occurred.
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A Cessna Citation V crashed 300 miles off the coast of Florida Friday evening after Air National Guard jets were scrambled to intercept it. The FAA said Friday that the single pilot aboard was not responsive to ATC communications.

The Cessna was inbound to Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport and the pilot was believed to be the only one aboard. The Citation departed St. Louis Regional Airport in East Afton, Illinois, about 3:30 p.m. Friday, the FAA said. At 4:50 p.m., the Florida Air National Guard dispatched two F-15s from the Homestead Air Reserve base to investigate the Citation‘s lack of communication. The fighters reported the Cessna began a rapid descent and crashed into the Atlantic around 6 p.m.

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